Jennifer Derose Blanchette was arrested for the death of her 5-month old baby. According to the sheriff’s department, the Rancho Cordova mother was arrested in her apartment at Zinfandel Village on the 3500 block of Data Drive.
The 40 year old mother allowed deputies and Child Protective Services to enter the apartment. The authorities quickly located the body of the 5 month old. The Sacramento County coroner identified the child as Gracie Lynn Johnson.
An investigation of Jennifer Derose Blanchette was initially opened April 8th. A family member had called the Rancho Cordova Police Department to check on the child. Deputies determined Blanchette was adequately caring for the child at that time. Those officers did report the mother to CPS for a follow up.
On April 30th, CPS and a Rancho Cordova police officer went to Blachette’s home again. They found the dead baby in a bassinet. The baby had been dead for at least a week. The coroner has not identified the cause of death. The child was a special needs baby and was born with a number of birth defects.
“The totality of the circumstances led us to believe that she should have been able to care for this baby. She should have provided for the care of the baby and she did not and that’s why she was arrested,” said sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.
My son was just born April 16th. How can you look a dead baby in the face for a week straight and not do anything about it? How long did it take that child to die? I have to imagine it screaming blody murder, slowly getting quieter and quieter till it can’t anymore.
“The totality of the circumstances led us to believe that she should have been able to care for this baby”
SHOULD.. care and DOES… care are two very different things. Anyone who gives birth SHOULD properly care for a child, but how often do they not??
If people would wake the hell up and realize that kids in the hands of deadbeats, welfare recipients and the like are basically destined to end up living a life in the gutter.
Like I’ve always said…one has to have a license to catch a fish for a meal, but any idiot can have a kid.